Last year, when Paralympic athlete and single-leg amputee Stef Reid raised a concern about buying the running shoes in pairs, Nike listened. She told companies that portray “an image of diversity and inclusion” should back it with action. Nike thanked her for raising the issue and said the company was “exploring opportunities”. This year too, German Paralympic athlete Leon Schafer took a moment to address the same issue and also shared a potential solution to resolve it.

During the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships, EssentiallySports’ host Atharv Phadke engaged in an exclusive interview with Leon Schafer and asked him about this issue. The German had just won the silver in the men’s long jump T63. And he did so with only one shoe on his left foot, and a blade on his right. The German star stated, “I’m a subject of it myself as an amputee.” He continued, “I was just bringing like, I don’t know, 10-15 right spikes, because my right leg is amputated, and gave it away to people, because I don’t have any use of it. So, I think it’s a smart and good idea to just sell one to athletes who basically need one shoe. They should definitely think about it.” 

Right now, Leon Schafer is sponsored individually by Nike. And when Phadke asked if he had a message for the sports apparel company, the Paralympian decided to proceed with the plea. He suggested, “Jump on that ship and let’s start doing it, because, I mean, it don’t really hurt these big companies, right? So, I think that’s definitely a very, very good idea.” 

On the other hand, for those who run with blades, the public often claims that it makes things easier for them. And that’s nothing but a myth. Ezra Frech, born with congenital limb differences, decided to debunk this after securing the silver medal in men’s high jump T63 in New Delhi. 

Ezra Frech debunks a myth about running with prosthetic leg

Talking to EssentiallySports following his podium finish at the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships, Frech claimed, “The myth I’d like to bust is that it’s easy to run with the prosthetic or that it’s a spring.” A running blade doesn’t store or release energy exactly like a biological leg. The carbon-fiber spring releases power differently during push-off, leading to asymmetrical running mechanics. This has a greater potential of causing an imbalance, posing a greater threat of injury. 

On top of that, the athletes even have to note the positioning of the prosthetic blade. Frech continued, “It’s very difficult. You have to place the blade in the right position. I don’t even have control over the lower part of my leg.” Running with a prosthetic leg demands more mental focus and coordination because athletes tend to rely on visual cues and muscle memory. 

Frech further explained, “This is a very very fine art. Those who master it do it really well. I did not master it today. I had a couple steps one centimeter off and it messes up the whole run. That’s the way it goes. So to anyone that thinks it’s easy to run with the prosthetic, it looks like I am cheating or bouncing around the track, I promise you that is very wrong.” 

With more and more Paralympic athletes voicing their concerns to consider one shoe designs, companies like Nike and others are working towards bringing more inclusivity to their structure.